Vampires of Noctra(25)

"That wasn't love. He controlled you, manipulated your hero-worship. Molded you into a weapon of destruction. And that's why you're here, isn't

it, Skye? As a weapon of the great General Encantro, famed vampire hunter. Who do you think will reap the glory? I doubt it will be you. It will be

Encantro who gains more fame, more wealth. He never loved you. He used you."

"You're wrong. He knew I could do this."

"He sent you because you were dispensable to him. He could always get another if you failed. There are always more humans eager to kill our

kind. Eager to lick the boots of a man like Encantro."

"No. You don't know what you're talking about."

"I know very well what it means. But something happened, didn't it, Skye? You can't kill me. You found out I may not be what you thought I was.

Or maybe I'm more than you expected. Maybe the stories were lies. Maybe all vampires aren't murderers."

"No. No."

Suddenly, Donté yanked the manacles free and he whirled on Skye. How little Templeton knew of vampires if he thought the chains would hold

Donté if he truly wanted to be free. He shoved Skye to his knees and anchored him there, looked down upon the angelic countenance of the blond

vampire hunter.

"You don't want to kill me, do you?" he said softly. "Not really."

Slowly, Skye looked up at him, his blue eyes uncertain, yet dilated with desire. The whip dropped to the floor. "I gave you only what you wanted."

"But you thought you would use it against me."

An intelligent and wary looked entered Skye's expression. "I watched you with the zombies. I watched you with...Gordon, the boy you killed." His

gaze narrowed. "What you wanted was to be punished for Gordon's death. And that's what I gave you."

Donté was surprised at how much Skye really had understood. He reached around to his back and scooped up some of the blood still pooled

there. Already the wounds were beginning to heal. He spread the blood across Skye's cheeks and over his forehead. He then brushed his bloodpainted thumb across his lips.

"Taste what I am, lad. All that I am." He cupped Skye's face. "Taste me." And then his mouth crashed down over Skye's.





Chapter 8




This was not what he'd expected. But then again, Skye didn't know what he'd expected when he'd walked into this room. What he had felt over the

last week was the attraction building between himself and Captain Lucienne until it now erupted like a volcano spewing hot, molten lava. How

could he have envisioned that it would result in such burning lust?

He tasted the tantalizing undead glacial white fire of vampire as he sucked on Donté's tongue, sealing his mouth to the captain's. He tasted the

tang of human blood. He reached up to embrace Donté, felt the welts of years past, the melding of new wounds, the wetness of blood that Skye

had drawn.

Donté shoved him backward. The jangle of broken chain rattled as Skye's back hit the floor. He looked up into Donté's piercing ruby eyes, dilated

with lust. He saw the hint of pointed white incisors bearing down on him.

And he closed his eyes, awaiting the sting of penetration, the deep, throbbing ache of possession. He suddenly wanted to know what the

passionate kiss of a vampire felt like. Why all the men of Donté's crew were addicted to the captain's brand of sexual feeding. Men who were loyal

to this vampire captain to the death. He wanted to know what this undead captain was all about. Why Skye couldn't seem to bring himself to kill

him. It was his duty to kill any vampire he came in contact with--he'd sworn an oath to do so.

He tipped his head, baring his throat. "Do it," he whispered. "Feed from me." He felt the scrape of sharp teeth against the pulsing vein at his neck.

He held his breath, waiting, yearning. Donté's tongue traced slowly along the bulging, blood-engorged purple vein. Skye's heart beat faster.

And then Skye's eyelids snapped up as he felt Donté draw away. The red of his eyes dimmed, the shade deepening.

"Why?" Sharp pain spread across Skye's chest. The pain of rejection shot through him.

Donté's eyes turned black as hard, glittering onyx. "I want you as you are, Templeton. Fully intact. I've never known a man like you. And for a

while, I want to enjoy you just as you are. I'll take your blood, at a time of my choosing. For now it is enough to know you belong to me already. If

not by our mingled blood, then by mind and body."

"Belong to you?" Skye felt the angry bubbling froth overflow, and a lust for domination roared through him. He thrust Donté away. The captain,

constricted by his pants and the slickness of spilled blood on the floor, fell backward unable to right himself.